The Uniqueness Of Death In Bimal Kar's Short Stories/ বিমল করের ছোটগল্পে মৃত্যুর অনন্যতা

Abstract

Bimal Kar, a renowned writer of the seventies and eighties of the twentieth century, holds a unique position in the history of Bengali literary practice with his philosophy of literature and distinct perception of life. Eschewing complexity in writing and rising above the use of complicated language, he presents the loneliness of the individual flowing in the muddy currents of life, the fulfillment of self-interest, psychological transformations, the silent footsteps of sin, and the all-consuming hunger of death through a simple arrangement of sentences. He perceived the distance between life and death through his own experiences and deep self-realization. Hence, in much of his creative thought, the subject of death has emerged as an aid to the complete development of life awareness. Though there is grief in that death, it does not exceed the bounds of restraint. Not only physical death but death in its multifaceted form has appeared in his writings. In short stories such as ‘Atmaja’, ‘Janani’, ‘Teen Premik O Bhuban’, ‘Apeksha’, ‘Agurlata’, ‘Nishad’, ‘Ambikacharaner Mrityu’, and many others, the theme of death has been raised multiple times. However, not all deaths are merely physical; the mental degeneration of the individual, the decay of values, and the demise of ethics are largely spread across his stories. The story "Atmaja" begins with a beautiful relationship between a father and daughter but ends with the death of the father, Himanshu. Himanshu chooses the path of suicide. The sequence of events in the entire story has accelerated the cause-and-effect relationship of Himanshu's suicidal intent. His discord with Yuthika has increased the distance in their relationship, marking the decline of their marital bond. Yuthika's inferiority complex has led to the mental demise of Yuthika's mindset, while her distorted behavior has advanced the positivity of Himanshu's mind towards death. Again, in stories like "Janani" and "Teen Premik O Bhuban", paths to recovery from grief are discovered. There is undoubtedly sorrow in death, but what is the path to recovery from grief? The author has expressed this through his philosophical reflections in those stories. After their mother's death, the children wish to offer their mother, on her heavenly journey, certain qualities that she had lost due to the harsh conflicts of real life. In the discussed stories, the author shows the way to overcome grief by completing the mother's fragmented soul after her death. In the similar story "Teen Premik O Bhuban", Shivani's three lovers offer their long-held remorse to the flames of her pyre. By sacrificing their self-pride before Shivani's pyre, their self-criticism and self-analysis help them rise above the burning power of grief. In the story 'Apeksha ' there is a person waiting for the death of a person. The story of 'Anguralata' depicts the picture of social degradation. The story of 'Idur ' is a sharp analysis of the author's realistic social thinking and the everyday crisis of people's lives. In the story "Nishad" too, the inevitability of death is victorious. In addition, stories like "Sunya", "Sudhamoy", "Janoar", etc., also portray death with a sense of change. Indeed, Bimal Kar's entire imaginative creation is interspersed with a subtle analysis of life perspectives. Not denying death, but by accepting it, enjoying the path between life and death is essential, this realization has illuminated him with the consciousness of death.